Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Bright Yogretchen’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Bright Yogretchen’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plants; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; golden yellow-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bright Yogretchen’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Bright Yogretchen’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is tocreate new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescenceswith desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and goodgarden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Sunny Yogretchen, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,511. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within apopulation of plants of the cultivar Sunny Yogretchen in a controlledenvironment in Alva, Fla. in April, 2003. The selection of this plantwas based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive ray floretcolor and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since June, 2003, has shownthat the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Bright Yogretchen has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bright Yogretchen’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bright Yogretchen’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Medium-sized decorative-type inflorescences with elongated        oblong-shaped ray florets.    -   5. Golden yellow-colored ray florets.    -   6. Natural season flowering in mid-September in the Northern        Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar SunnyYogretchen, primarily in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivarSunny Yogretchen had yellow bronze-colored ray florets. In addition,plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter and flowered about two tothree days later than plants of the cultivar Sunny Yogretchen when grownunder natural season conditions.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Sunny Yomarilyn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,846. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar SunnyYomarilyn in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were stronger than plants of        the cultivar Sunny Yomarilyn.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were not as broad as plants        of the cultivar Sunny Yomarilyn.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Sunny Yomarilyn.    -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were richer        yellow in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Sunny        Yomarilyn.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Gedi One Cen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,902. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Gedi One Cenin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger than plants of        the cultivar Gedi One Cen.    -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more        yellow in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Gedi        One Cen.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had fewer disc florets per        inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Gedi One Cen.    -   4. Ray floret color of plants of the new Chrysanthemum was        longer lasting than ray floret color of plants of the cultivar        Gedi One Cen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Bright Yogretchen’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of the ‘Bright Yogretchen’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington,Ontario, Canada during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse andunder conditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. Rooted cuttings wereplanted in 15.25-cm containers, grown under artificial long dayconditions (four-hour night interruption) and pinched about ten dayslater. About ten days after the pinch, plants were then exposed toartificial short day conditions (11.5 hours light) until flowering.During the production of the plants, temperatures ranged from 18° C. to38° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Bright    Yogretchen.-   Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the    Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Sunny Yogretchen, disclosed in    U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,511.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous            decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with            mounded crown. Stems initially upright, then somewhat            outwardly spreading; compact and mounded growth habit.            Freely branching with lateral branches potentially forming            at every node. Moderately vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Aspect: Upright and            outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A to            146A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:            About 2.4 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses divergent.            Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent. Texture, lower            surface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color: Developing and            fully expanded foliage, upper surface: More green than 147A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: More            green than 147B. Venation, upper surface: More green than            147A. Venation, lower surface: Close to 147B. Petiole            length: About 7.5 mm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiole            color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with            elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on            terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray            florets developing acropetally on a capitulum. About eight            inflorescences per lateral branch.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere.        -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About            6 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Spherical. Color: (lower            surface of phyllaries): Darker green than 147A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.2 cm. Disc diameter: About 3.5 mm; inconspicious.            Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong-shaped. Length: About            1.7 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Corolla tube length: About 3 mm.            Corolla tube diameter: About 1 mm. Apex: Emarginate, acute            or rounded. Margin: Fused. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Orientation: Initially            upright, then perpendicular to the peduncle. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 110 in numerous whorls.            Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 9A.            Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 12A. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 9A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 2 mm.            Width, apex: About 1 mm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Number of            disc florets per inflorescence: About twelve. Color:            Immature: Close to 144A. Mature: Apex: Close to 9A.            Mid-section: 144C. Base: Close to 155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About eight. Length:            About 5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Darker            green than 147A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 3.4 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: About 40° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to            12A. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on            both ray and disc florets. Style length: About 4 mm. Style            color: Close to 154A. Stigma color: Close to 9A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been    observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from    0° C. to more than 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Bright Yogretchen’, as illustrated and described. 